Northeast IPM Center Participation by the NYS IPM Program, 2006

NYS IPM Program staff were involved with several key activities of theNortheast IPM Center in 2006. Included were participation and leadership in the Center’s Working Groups and meeting with Natural Resource Conservation Service representatives

Testing isotropy of the universe using the Ramsey resonance technique on ultracold neutron spins

Physics at the Planck scale could be revealed by looking for tiny violations of fundamental symmetries in low energy experiments. In 2008, a sensitive test of the isotropy of the Universe using has been performed with stored ultracold neutrons (UCN), this is the first clock-comparison experiment performed with free neutrons. During several days we monitored the Larmor frequency of neutron spins in a weak magnetic field using the Ramsey resonance technique. An non-zero cosmic axial field, violating rotational symmetry, would induce a daily variation of the precession frequency. Our null result constitutes one of the most stringent tests of Lorentz invariance to date.Comment: proceedings of the PNCMI2010 conferenc

Diffuse reflection of ultracold neutrons from low-roughness surfaces

We report a measurement of the reflection of ultracold neutrons from flat, large-area plates of different Fermi potential materials with low surface roughness. The results were used to test two diffuse reflection models, the well-known Lambert model and the micro-roughness model which is based on wave scattering. The Lambert model fails to reproduce the diffuse reflection data. The surface roughness b and correlation length w , obtained by fitting the micro-roughness model to the data are in the range 1$\le$ b $\le$3 nm and 10$\le$ w $\le$120 nm, in qualitative agreement with independent measurements using atomic force microscop

A next generation measurement of the electric dipole moment of the neutron at the FRM II

In this paper we discuss theoretical motivations and the status of experimental searches to find time-reversal symmetry-violating electric dipole moments (EDM). Emphasis is given to a next generation search for the EDM of the neutron, which is currently being set up at the FRM II neutron source in Garching, with an ultimate sensitivity goal of 5 × 10−28 cm (3σ). The layout of the apparatus allows for the detailed investigation of systematic effects by combining various means of magnetic field control and polarized UCN optics. All major components of the installations are portable and can be installed at the strongest available UCN beam

Demonstrations of Sustainable Vegetable Pest and Crop Management: Fresh Market Sweet Corn

NYS IPM Type: Project ReportFour sweet corn pest and crop management systems (organic, IPM/Present, IPM/Future, and conventional) were defined and implemented on grower farms and on a university research farm. The first years results showed differences among the four systems in terms of economics, pest control efficacy and environmental impact. Generally the conventional and IPM systems were the most profitable while the organic system showed the least environmental impact. Information on the comparisons was disseminated to growers and other food industry personnel. In cooperation with Wegmans supermarkets consumers were informed of IPM practices on sweet corn which were documented by growers. Fifteen growers participated in documenting IPM practices and in many cases have reduced pesticide use. Five of the fifteen growers were among the nine involved in the demonstrations conducted in this project